Chapter Four
There was a toot! They turned back and saw that it was Mrs. Busuyi Ajigbotinu, Gbesan opened both sides of the gate and they greeted her as she drove into the compound. Olumide remembered she did not take a car this morning as she rode with Mr. Soji Ogunbeshin , but now she was driving one now, he looked closely at the spotless white colored car: ‘LADA’ the design tag on the car said.
There was also only one car when they got here a few days ago. ‘How are you two, hope I am not too late to make dinner, I was delayed at the mechanic’s shop. That cleared the questions on Olumide’s mind. ‘Is your dad back yet, Olumide? asked Busuyi, ‘Yes mam, he is just gone inside a few minutes ago’ Olumide said ‘Alright, lock the gate and come get ready for lunch, you two’, Mrs. Ogunbeshin said, ‘I didn’t know she had a car’, Olumide said as they both went into the house.
‘Yeah, she had an accident with it, so it had to stay at the mechanics shop until it was in good condition’, replied Gbesan. The lunch was a ready made one from the supermarket. It was fried rice and fried plantain. Olumide reflected on Mrs. Busuyi Ajigbotinu’s kind gestures since they have been there. She was always like a mother; she never held back anything from him, they all shared things together her own mother would have done the same, if she were alive. She was very fast and clean, she never showed anger, it made him remember how much a mother does for a son.
Later that evening, Gbesan reminded Olumide of the party. Olumide said to Gbesan ‘we will have to sneak out, since his father did not agree to his going to any party. Olumide told him, it was not time to go yet; he should try to get some forty winks before party time. He tried to sleep but his eyes were only closed, he was imagining what it will be like at the party. Then he remembered he should wear a nice shirt and pant, to put a good impression on Elsie.
He jumped out of bed, opened the wardrobe and searched through, he selected almost all of them and rejected them, he finally decided to put on his one and only suit, which was the best outfit he had, he lay back on his bed until 9.35 pm.
He had his bath, and got dressed in his brown suit; he walked briskly to Gbesan’s room, taking the back verandah so nobody would see him. Gbesan was in a cream colored suit and yellow and gold long sleeve silk shirt. ‘How do I look’, Gbesan asked after lacing up his shoes, ‘Just great’, came the reply from Olumide. Gbesan inspected Olumide from head to foot, ‘you look very charming’, ‘hey that does not go with this! said Olumide pointing to Olumide’s sandals, he pulled out a black leather shoe and handed it to Olumide, ‘put this on lets see’, Olumide, removed his sandal and tried on the shoe, ‘I think it fits’, he said sounding satisfied. ‘There you are! Now we are ready! Aren’t we? said Gbesan getting to the door and looking around as if to take stock of what he might have missed. They set off through the verandah, to the gate’s pedestrian exit, and quickly boarded a friend’s car waiting a few yards from the Mr. and Mrs. Ajigbotinu’s gate.
On the way to the party, Gbesan informed Olumide that the party was a birthday party of one of the young business tycoons. The party was a rich mans party as Gbesan had to put it. If there were poorly dressed people around they were too few to be seen. Olumide was astonished at the gathering, they sat in groups, and various kinds of beer and malt drinks flowed endlessly. They wore the traditional attractive lace cotton, the colors dazzled, white, grey, pink and blue colors, they sparkled with tiny stones sprinkled like little stars under the fluorescent lights.
The women sitting as though they were regal dignitaries, with their huge head-ties, all radiating and comfortably seated around food and drink, entertaining the people was according to Gbesan, ‘ a juju band, popularly known as Lagos grove controllers’. It was certainly the beginning of the event as more and more people kept arriving and taking their seats in small groups, and more chairs were being set. They took their seat on the far right, ‘so you fulfilled your promise’, Olumide heard someone say behind him, he looked back, it was Elsie. ‘Hello, you are here, eh? Olumide sounded pleased, ‘I told you it was a promise, I mean anything I say to such a pretty lady like you’. Olumide concluded waving Elsie to a seat.
Olumide praised her. ‘Good evening Olumide’, Bolanle said, seating down. ‘Nice of you to come, welcome Bolanle, how are you? ‘I am fine thanks’, she said cool-ly. Olumide’s attention turned to Elsie sitting by him; she was wearing a silk short sleeve light yellow blouse over her blue tunic that showed her romantic inviting hips.
Olumide smiled at her admiringly, that’s delicious aroma you have about you’. ‘Thank you’ Elsie said. ‘and that’s a very nice suit you got on’. Olumide said smiling. They were interrupted by a young hostess who brought some menu. ‘You know what, Olumide asked, ’you’ve not told me much about you, and I am eager to know as much as you know. Elsie laughed, how can you possibly know as much as I know? ‘Oh yes I can, you go on and tell me’, Olumide. Urged, ‘Okay here we go, I am a worker at the ministry for external affairs as a typist, I am a native of Benin’. ‘I love going to parties, I like dancing, I am 18 years old, my father and mother live in Benin.
I am modest, I don’t smoke, I am family oriented, I love swimming, playing tennis, and going to theatres. And I love meeting people. You are an exceptional person’. She said in an exceptional tone. Just then an announcement was made of the opening of the disco session. The youths in the gathering were happy over the announcement and they all stood up and moved to the disco hall. The hall was dimly lit, the music was turned up high. Olumide and Elsie sitting close to the back of the hall, were holding hands passionately as young lovers do.
Olumide knew he could not afford to act anymore like a new comer, so he had to watch closely one of the boys on the dancing floor, so when Elsie said: ‘shall we join them on the floor?’ he could just say ‘yes’. He was a fast learner. The track got to its’ end, Olumide did not do badly. ‘Wow! That was great’, Elsie exclaimed, ‘you didn’t tell me you could dance so well’. Olumide forced his eyes to open, awakened by a knock on his door, the time was 4 a.m. ‘who is it?’ Gbesan came in. ‘Just remembered something, ‘if they ask where we went yesterday, tell them, we went to a friend of mine, sleep well’. They had gotten home early that morning and had used the back door, which Gbesan opened with his duplicate key.
As it was they did ask about their whereabouts and he was happy that Gbesan had given him that piece of phony story. Olumide’s father did not suspect anything because Olumide said the party was going to take place that Saturday, and he sounded too casual. The next week, Mr. Ogunbeshin sent Olumide back home to inform Uncle Felix of the proceedings in Lagos. Gbesan again reminded him of their plans. Olumide said he would not forget.
He got to the village very late that day, and he went to bed tired and happy. In the morning Olumide went to Uncle Felix, who was surprised to see him, so early in the morning. Olumide told him that his father had filled the necessary forms and told that a date had been fixed for the inspection of the land to be used for farm expansion. He had his breakfast at his uncle’s place. Again he compared his meals in Lagos with the ones here, if he were in Lagos he would be taking bread’n butter with fried eggs and tea, but instead he swallowed hard at pounded yam, a meal for dinner, ‘dinner’ a word never known by villagers.
Olumide followed his uncle to the farm, there was a remarkable change on the farm, apart from the cassava, yam and maize plantation, which were well kept, the rest of the farm was covered with thorn bush. Olumide’s chance of getting the credentials was as big as the vast open sky. The key of his father’s wardrobe was in the room while the room door was locked. He didn’t wait long before he remembered, that his mothers room door does open his father’s. He checked it among the keys in the store and found it.
He opened the room and stepped inside, he made for the wardrobe, he searched everywhere in it, but he didn’t find it. Then he went to the drawer and searched again, through the contents, but still it was negative. As he was getting up, he heard a sound, he quickly jumped to his feet, closing the drawer he turned around, but he saw nothing but thought maybe someone was in the parlor: he ran out like a little boy, and as he was about to enter the parlor he mistakenly struck his knee against a straight chair. Oh! Ouch?
What a terrible shock that little accident had on him, he sat down for a good five minutes, of painful moaning and groaning, he limped up, there was nobody in the parlor, he managed to limp back to his fathers room, nobody was seen. It was only an imagination. Then he took the key of the suitcase and opened it gently and carefully, he parked out the dresses, he placed them down in the original order. Every cloth was taken out, then he removed the paper that covered the buttom of the box, then something appeared like what he was looking for.
It was a brown paper bag, he opened it with shaking hands, but he found his fathers ceremonial caps. He stood up frustrated: was he going to loose this chance? Where would he find these papers?
He bent down again and started parking when he spotted another box under the bed, it was a similar suitcase, dust covered it’s head and the entire body the case, this suitcase had not been opened for a long time, Olumide thought, this should be it. He opened it easily, it hadn’t been locked, then he smiled, and the thin smile on his pained face disappeared, it was a file store, it contained files of the family’s academic and extra curricular records. On top of them was the one marked in block letters: Olumide Ogunbeshin stood up, carrying the file he opened it and found his past school results, his testimonials, his certificates, his athletics medals, all clipped together. He closed the suitcase and pushed it back exactly where he found it.
He took the file to his room and put it under his pillow. When he came back to the sitting room, what first came to his mind was what Gbesan had said; ‘money is your biggest problem, how do you intend to get it?’ then he remembered that his father had a money safe in his office, he knew he wouldn’t get much from that safe now. But he had some other thing in mind, it made him grin to himself, a wicked grin, the sort you’ll find an American crime movie. He got his sandal, put his feet into the sandal, in about a month from now, he thought, he wouldn’t be wearing sandal every time, he would have superb shoes, the type Gbesan used.
Olumide got to Mr. Ogunbeshin’s office, at about 5.45pm, he greeted the gateman who was glad to see, and was obliged to give the keys to Olumide’s fathers office to him, at Olumide’s request. Olumide got to the office and closed the door, he moved across the room to the office table. A big enormous table made of good ‘abora’ wood. He knew what he was looking for, so he went straight there, he pulled on the drawer but it was securely locked.
He turned back and quietly walked to the key drawer in the secretary’s office, he found his fathers bunch of keys, after two tests , he found the right key, he slipped it through the keyhole and turned it, the drawer opened. He brought out the safe key, and tested it on the safe, it was an iron box locked into a specially built-in four cornered space inside the wall with an outside lock, protected by the bookshelf, all together two locks before the safe it was perfect.
He locked it pushed the shelf back in its place and locked the table drawer as well. He heard a footstep behind him, he looked back, the steps were approaching the office, he kept the key out of sight, and waited, it was the gate man checking on him again.
The gate man peeped in through the door, ‘I’m only checking if there is anything you need’, he said. ‘No, thank you sir, I was about going, I’ll be out in a minute’, replied Olumide The gateman closed the door, Olumide quickly removed the safe’s key from the bunch, he put the key bunch back in its place and left the room. The time was 8.16pm, Olumide Ogunbeshin was not home yet, he had gone straight to the blacksmith, from his father’s office.
He did not go to his father’s regular customer although it would have been easier for him, but he thought his father’s regular man would not keep his mouth shut about it. He would say it the next time he saw Olumide’s father, maybe just casually, but his father wouldn’t take it the same way. So he checked out another blacksmith. He had meant to collect the duplicate key the next morning, and now that he had succeeded in the bargain, he felt like an early rest, for an early rise.
On his way home, he stopped at his uncle’s; he was told that his uncle had gone to their own house. Olumide hadn’t any idea of what he might be wanting, but he thought it as just a quick visit to him before he leaves for Lagos the next morning, Uncle Felix was about to leave when Olumide arrived home, ‘I was about to leave, where were you? Uncle Felix asked getting down from the short pavement steps in front of the house. ‘I’m sorry to keep you waiting; have you’ve been waiting for a long time? ‘Not too long, just about ten minutes’, responded Mr. Ajigbotinu, ‘I just went out to see a friend’, I was at your home, can we go in? asked Olumide. ‘I’m returning, I wanted to know if there is anything you need, for your journey tomorrow, since I will not see you this evening’. Said his uncle; Olumide’s heart beat faster, ‘yes, I just went through the farm, I wanted to be familiar with the description I would give to my father’, Oh I see, see you tomorrow’. Olumide watched him turn into the corner before he unlocked the door. He slept early, dreamlessly and he woke up early. While he was combing his hair, it crossed his mind that, his plans might not click, if he didn’t watch it the original key was still with the blacksmith, that meant he had to make another trip to his fathers office.
He collected the original and the duplicate key from the blacksmith by six thirty, the duplication was almost perfect. He was at the farm by seven; he succeeded in fooling the gateman with an excuse. He dropped the original key.
Then when he was ready to go, he stopped at his uncle’s place, ‘I was at the farm again this morning, I forgot something I should give to my father’. Olumide lied to Uncle Felix. ‘That’s all right, have a safe journey’, uncle Felix replied. Olumide and Gbesan decided to sneak away for a few minutes walk and talk about a possible second visit to Lagos and returned home after a while. Mr. Ajigbotinu wished that Mr. Ogunbeshin and his son good luck and God’s blessing on everything they do. Gbesan, having collected Olumide’s credentials, and having promised to look for a room, for Olumide when he comes back, did not forget to remind him, of the one problem ‘money’, ‘you still think you can raise the bread?’ Gbesan asked, worried. ‘I’ll surely get it, don’t worry’.
Mr. Soji Ogunbeshin and Olumide Ogunbeshin arrived home safely, and very late too, the journey had only been interrupted by the traffic at two points, and after that it had been a straight drive. They both retired to bed happy, but with different reasons. The next morning, found Mr. Ogunbeshin and Uncle Felix on the Farm. Mr. Ogunbeshin assured Uncle Felix soon everything would be all right. That morning they made arrangements for the re-employment of some laborers. Olumide was left at home with cleaning of the house and reshuffling.
Meanwhile in Lagos Gbesan mean’t good for his friend, as he took his time looking for a room on Olumide’s behalf. Elsie also was interested in Olumide’s coming to Lagos, but she had an evil tain’t in her that got her occupied after office hours. Unknown to Gbesan, Elsie had connections with the underworld. Her regular boyfriend, borrowly was a member of a big time gang of thieves.
Her relationship with borrowly has continued for long because of the lots of money and present he keeps presenting her. This time she was going to give him a job that would benefit them both. Olumide was finishing up the last bit of the cleaning. His next move was how to get out of that little town, but first he had to get money. He was beginning to get tired of the whole place, all his thoughts were of Lagos and it’s way’s.
It’s people, it’s groovy spots, lots and lots of funk and fun. All the pleasures of life there in Lagos, but this men here in this village, Olumide thought, all blind to the enjoyment and the good things of life. There they are all, young and old, suffering and smiling, you just work and work and work and rest and that’s all, no entertainment, no fun and at-times when I sit down in this big empty house, the bedroom makes me feel rejected and dejected’, Olumide heard himself say aloud.
There was a long silence in the house, as he brooded and turned things over in his mind. He thought that maybe he should tell his father bluntly that he was going to leave the town, or maybe it would be better to write down a note for him before moving. Well which ever one he was going to do, nothing would stop him from going. The sound of a car nearby brought him up with a start.
He peeped out of the window, he saw his father come out of the car with a briefcase. He decided he was going to tell him right there and then; Mr. Ogunbeshin’s steps were sprightly as he walked into the building looking bright and cheerful. ‘What’s wrong with you? You look dull’, he said to Olumide ‘There’s nothing wrong, he summed up, but couldn’t voice out what was really wrong inside him, I was about to scrub the kitchen floor’. ‘You can do that later, first you’re going to the market right now, everything you are going to buy must be from baba’s shop’.
He handed Olumide a ball point biro and a writing pad, ‘start writing, two pairs of shoes, One for me and one for you. You know my size. Two pairs of sandals, one for me and one for you. Then eight meters of shirt material and twelve meters of trouser material. When you’ve bought the materials you’ll take them to the tailors shop’, ‘Tell him to sow you one trouser and one short sleeve shirt’. ‘Then for me, two long sleeve shirt, one short sleeve, and one trouser. Two French suits, one for me and one for you’. ‘Oh, I almost forgot, buy one tin of shoe polish and one sock for each of us. ‘Here take this and don’t be late, he concluded as he handed Olumide forty five Pounds from his brief case.
Olumide got dressed and made for the ten o’clock bus leaving for the market. The bus moved about twelve minutes after ten. Among the passengers in the bus were traders carrying goods to sell in the evening market. There was a serious accident on the road, and it had become the talk of the town for that morning and everyone in the bus including the driver and the conductor made this incident their topic for discussion with the exception of Olumide who had turned an introvert since the beginning of the day. From his father’s appearance that afternoon, it showed that he had gone to the bank and had come back with good results.
That mean’t he could reach the money in less than three days. That also mean’t he was ready to commit a sin that he might or might not be opportuned to receive forgiveness for, nevertheless Olumide determined that since his fate after his departure from the village would be better, wanted to be sure he would be safe. He now had no fear at all for his father, his heart was as hard as rock. ‘At least he has his own head and I have mine, he is not going to live my life for me. So why behave as if we share one head? He said to himself. That was what his ambition (which was immature) to become an independent personality turned him to you.
He had nothing to fear about anyway, after all the cards were still falling his way. ‘Oga e o fe sokale mo ni? Said the bus conductor, meaning ‘Mister don’t you want to get down anymore’, Olumide got down (having paid his fare before the bus left it’s base) and walked away not uttering a word. He did not stop until he reached the market and the cloth sellers section, when got to baba’s shop he was not around, but his boy was shop-keeping and attending to customers.
Olumide got into the stall and selected an expensive wool material, for a pair of suit and trouser, then pure cotton material for a pair of long sleeve shirt. In fact the price of the materials his father sent him to buy was only three Pounds ten shillings, higher than the materials he bought this time for himself. Then he made for the Bata shop which was then a leading national shoes selling company.
Olumide walked briskly into the shop and brushed past other customers at the cashiers desk, to the shoulder high display stands of shoes, then selected two different patterns of lace up shoes; which was the reigning style in Lagos. Shifting over to the polish and stockings section of the shop, he picked out two different colors, the cashiers smiled happily at him when he paid his bill. The cashier a slippery looking middle aged woman smiled profusely said thanks, please come again. Olumide smiled and thought, ‘Why not?’ ‘when you’ve got your pocket filled’.
